Murder for Hire
by Mychand
Summary: Hawke and Dom work to prove that Caitlin is not a hired killer.
1. Chapter 1

_**So, my break from Airwolf was more brief than I thought. I was feeling burned out and not very creative. But, I got an inspiration from reading something to my class and I just couldn't shake it. So, here I am writing again. **_

**Murder for Hire**

"Hey Dom, where did you say you put that part?" Hawke asked as Dom came strolling out of the back office.

"I said it was coming today," he replied. "I don't have it yet."

"Oh," replied Hawke sarcastically. "That would have been nice to know before I took that whole engine apart."

"You'll live," Dom said with a smirk.

"I hate to break up this little family moment," Michael told them as he made his way into the hangar. "But, I need to see Caitlin."

Dom and Hawke immediately noticed that Michael wasn't alone. Following behind him was the local police Captain.

"What's going on Michael?" asked Hawke.

"Where is Miss O'Shannessy?" asked the Captain.

Dom shrugged. "She's not here," he replied. "She took the day off."

The two men looked at each other. "Any idea where we can find her?"

"I want to know what this is about," Hawke demanded. "Why do you want Caitlin?"

Michael sighed. "Let's step in the back office and discuss this."

"I'll contact my men and have them keep watch at her apartment," said the Captain.

Dom and Hawke followed Michael into the back.

"Damn it Michael," Hawke said growing angry. "Tell us what the hell is going on here!"

"Caitlin is wanted for murder," Michael replied bluntly.

"What?" asked Dom. "Who?"

"We believe she's a contract killer," he replied.

Hawke stared at him. "This has got to be some joke Michael," he told him. "We all know Caitlin is not a killer."

"I don't know that," replied Michael. "All evidence points to her. So far she's killed ten men."

"No!" said Dom. "Michael you know that's not true."

Michael opened the file he was carrying and laid it down on the table. He pulled out a stack of photos and spread them out. "These are the men. Look at the dates they were killed. Caitlin was supposedly out of town during each of these times."

Hawke and Dom picked up the photos and looked through them.

"This has to be some kind of coincidence," Hawke insisted. "Either that or someone is setting her up."

"Why are there black lip prints on their foreheads?" asked Dom.

"It's her calling card," replied Michael. "She apparently lets them get close to her, intimately, and then she kills them. Afterwards she leaves that black kiss print."

"It's like something out of a book I've read," replied Dom. "But I still don't believe that Caitlin's a killer. Nothing will ever convince me of that. Not our Caitlin."

"I wish I could believe that as well," replied Michael. "But all of the evidence is there. We also have a DNA match from the last victim. Caitlin has been through some traumatic events since she came here. Any one of those could have pushed her over the edge."

Hawke was unusually quiet as he was taking in all of what Michael had told them. Finally, he spoke up. "She's being set up," he said coldly. "I know it and you know it."

"Where is she Hawke?" asked Michael.

"I don't know," he replied.

"Would you tell me if you did?" asked Michael.

"No," he said bluntly. "But I plan to do everything in my power to prove she is innocent."

"Fine," replied Michael. "I'll leave these here for you to review. I have copies. I need to get back and help search for her. If you find her first, I would suggest you have her turn herself in. It would be in her best interest."

"You know I won't do that," Hawke told him.

"Then you'll be harboring a fugitive," replied Michael.

Hawke laughed. "Wouldn't be the first time," he replied and then grew solemn. "I'm going to prove she's innocent."

After Michael left, Dom picked up the photographs of the dead men and looked through them. "Why do some of these look familiar?"

Hawke took them from him and stared at a couple of the men. "I see now why Michael is involved," he told him. "Two of these men were members of the Firm."

"Why would someone want to set Caitlin up?" asked Dom. "I mean, what threat is she?"

"She can fly Airwolf," replied Hawke. "That's enough isn't it?"

"I guess so," said Dom. "Still, none of this makes any sense. Hawke she wasn't with us during any of these times. How are we going to prove she's innocent?"

"First we find her," replied Hawke. "I want to see what she has to say about it."

"What if they find her first?" asked Dom. "What then?"

"I don't know," replied Hawke. "Either way, we need to prove she's innocent."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Caitlin slowly opened the door to her motel room. It was dark in the room and she could have sworn she had left the bathroom light on. She leaned back outside and took out her gun before slowly pulling the door so that it appeared shut, leaving just a small crack just in case.

Slowly she made her way towards the dressing area in the back of the room. She cut on the lights and then began humming as she moved back over to the bed, leaving her back to the bathroom. She felt someone creeping up behind her but waited just as they got close enough to grab them and pull them down on the bed, putting the gun directly in the man's face.

"Who are you and what do you want?" she asked coldly. "Tell me now!"

"Don't kill me," begged the man. "I just came for my boss. He wants to hire you."

Caitlin laughed. "I only kill for two reasons," she told him. "They are protect myself and for money. I don't see you as threat. Tell me more. Who is this boss of yours?"

"I can't," he told her.

Caitlin shoved the gun closer to his head. "I may just see you as a threat after all," she insisted.

"He wants to meet with you," the man told her nervously. "How about tomorrow afternoon at the diner? He knows you only meet in small public places."

Caitlin pulled back the gun and let go of the man. "I'll be there at two," she told him. "Your boss must come alone though or he won't see me."

"I'll tell him," he said as he got up quickly from the bed and moved towards the door.

"Also tell him that it will cost him," she said.

"He knows," the man replied. "But with your reputation, he's willing to pay anything."

"Good to hear," she said with a smile. "I hope we're able to do business."

After the man left, Caitlin quickly closed and locked the door behind him. She leaned against the door and breathed a sigh of relief.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next day, Caitlin sat and waited in the small diner. She ordered a burger and ate while she waited for her meeting.

At exactly one, a man came in and sat down across from her. She stared at him a moment. He looked familiar and she wasn't sure why.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I sent you a messenger yesterday," he told her. "I'm here to talk business."

"You still didn't answer my question," she replied.

"You know me," he told her. "In time you'll see."

He handed her a small leather satchel. Caitlin stared at it a moment before picking it up and looking inside. It was filled with hundred dollar bills.

"Okay, I'm intrigued," she replied. "What is it you want?"

"I've been following your handy work," he told her. "I'm rather impressed yet somewhat surprised. Still, you proved yourself to me without even realizing it."

"How's that?" she asked.

"You killed someone for me," he replied. "Only I went through another person to have it done."

"So why are you coming directly to me now?" she asked.

"This job is a little more complicated," he told her.

"I can handle anything," she said smugly. "Just let me get close to him and he'll never know what hit him."

"Oh, you're already close to him," the man told her.

Caitlin sat up in her chair and put the burger that she had been munching on down. "Oh?" she asked. "Who?"

"Stringfellow Hawke," he told her. "I want you to kill Stringfellow Hawke. If you do it, I will deposit ten million dollars in that same foreign bank account that I deposited money into last time. It will be more than enough for you to go away and never have to work again."

"I can't," she told him.

"Why? Are your feelings for him to strong?" he asked. "I'm sure when he finds out you're a killer, he'll want nothing to do with you."

"You're right. But, it's not that," she replied. "Sure, I'm close to him and I'll admit it won't be easy. But the Firm is on to me now. If I even get close to him, they'll catch me. What good will ten million dollars do me if I'm in prison, or even worse, waiting on the death penalty?"

"I can help you get close to him and no one will ever know," he told her. "I'm a master of disguise and I've managed to elude the authorities for many years."

Caitlin stared at him a moment. "Now I know why you look familiar," she admitted. "Okay, I'll do it. But it's on my own terms."

"Oh, you can have input but I have several demands," he told her. "I'm going to want proof and I want to listen as you do it. I expect you to seduce him just as you did the others and then take him before he knows what hit him. You do that, and the money is all yours."

Caitlin stared at him a moment. "If you have so much money and resources," she asked. "Why do you need me? Why not kill him yourself or have one of your men do it?"

"Let's just say I take great pleasure in the fact that someone close to him, that he trusts will betray him," he replied. "It's the ultimate way for me to end the life of Stringfellow Hawke."

"Fine," she replied. "I'll do it but I'll need your help when it's done. It won't be easy for me to escape."

"I'll send over a case with everything you'll need this evening," he told her. "But there is one more thing.

He handed Caitlin a small piece of paper. She opened it and read it. "What do you want me to do with this?" she asked.

"That's what I want you to whisper in his ear just before you pull the trigger," he told her. "I want him to know. I want it to be the last words he hears."

Caitlin sighed. "Okay, you got it," she agreed. "Anything else?"

"I think that will suffice," he told her before getting up to leave. "I'll be in touch."

Caitlin watched the man get up and leave before she finished her burger. "How am I going to pull this all off? I know where he'll try to find me," she thought. "But, how can I do this to Hawke?"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Hawke paced back and forth waiting for Dom to get ready to leave.

"We need to get out of here," he told him. "We need to make sure we aren't followed."

"I just hope she's there," said Dom.

"We always said if one of us got into a jam, we'd go there," replied Hawke.

"What if she doesn't know?" asked Dom. "I mean how can she know they want her for murder? We all know she isn't a murderer," he replied.

"I don't know," Hawke admitted. "But her friend Amy said she never made it for her lunch visit yesterday. I just hope nothing bad has happened to her."

"Yeah," Dom replied softly. "Suddenly I feel like our lives have been turned upside down. This is all so surreal."

"I know," said Hawke. "Let's go."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 **

Later that evening, a large suitcase was delivered to Caitlin's room. It contained items of disguise as well as an audio bugging device. She hoped that didn't include a tracking device but she knew it was possible. Her instructions were to wear it and turn it on as soon as she came into contact with Hawke. Her client wanted full access to her conversations with him right up to the moment she fulfilled her part of the deal.

She changed into the clothes that she was given and put on the long black wig. "I hope you're there Hawke," she said to herself. "I just don't know how I'm going to pull this off. But, at this point, I guess I don't have a choice."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

It took several hours for the two to get to their destination and Hawke became a bit anxious as they approached the mountains of Tennessee. "Did you check to see the name that our go to cabin was rented under?" he asked Dom.

"Yes," he replied. "Relax String. She used the code name so it has to be Caitlin."

Hawke sighed. "Good," he breathed a sigh of relief. "At least we know she's safe for now."

They landed at a local air strip and rented a car to drive to the cabin. Hawke was cautious by renting the car under an alias and made sure that no one followed them. When they pulled up into the small, steep driveway, they saw a little white car parked to the side. The two quickly got out and made their way to the front door.

"Caitlin?" Hawke called out to her.

Caitlin felt her heart beat faster as her nerves were getting the best of her. She took a deep breath and slowly opened the door, greeting the men with a smile. "Thank goodness it's you," she told them. "I got a bit nervous when I saw the car pull in."

"Are you okay?" he asked her as he pulled her into a hug.

"I'm fine," she replied. "Marella tipped me off to what was going on so I headed out of town as quick as I could."

Hawke stared at her a moment. Something seemed off. He sensed that she was feeling uneasy but he figured it had to be due to the situation they were in.

"I can't believe they think you're a killer," Dom said. "It's ludicrous."

"I know," she replied. "Marella said they had some kind of evidence. What am I going to do?"

"Well, for now you'll stay here," replied Hawke. "It's the safest place. Someone is setting you up and we need to figure out why."

"That doesn't make any sense Hawke," Caitlin said as they all went inside and sat around the small kitchen table. "Why would someone want to do this to me?"

"My guess is it has something to do with Airwolf," he told her. "I can't think of any other reason beyond that."

Caitlin sighed. "Even that doesn't make any sense," she replied.

"Well, the first thing I want to do is to have you write down everything you did on the days these men were killed," said Hawke. "We need to establish your alibis."

"Oh, I have an alibi," she said to herself. "But I can't share that with you right now."

Hawke rummaged through the kitchen drawers and found a pen and some paper. Then he pulled out the folder of pictures and dates that Michael had given him and put them down on the table.

Caitlin's heart skipped a beat when she saw the photos. She knew each and every one of them and she also knew she was there when they had met their timely death. Now she had one more to go. One more so called killing and her mission just might be over.

"They never saw it coming," she thought to herself. "Neither will Hawke. But he's not like the others. What if he figures this out? What will I do?"

"Caitlin?" Hawke called out to her when it appeared she was daydreaming. "Are you okay?"

"Do you know any of these men?" she asked Hawke.

"Yeah, I do," he replied. "Not personally but a few of them worked for the Firm."

"Why would I want to kill them?" she asked.

"Money?" he replied. "At least that what I'm thinking the police are going on. Michael thinks you finally snapped after all those close calls you had with our missions."

Dom stood up and put his arms around her shoulders. "Don't worry honey," he assured her. "We know the truth."

"I wish you did," she thought to herself. "I really wish you did."

Caitlin felt like she was back in college taking her final exams. She was under a lot of pressure. She had to recall the details of her whereabouts or at least where she had told Hawke and Dom she went when she took the time off. Any little mistake and she knew Hawke would question it. He was someone she never wanted to go up against. Lying to him was something she never thought she'd have to do.

"Do you mind if I take a break?" she asked after writing down the information of her travels during the last two killings. "I've got a terrible headache."

"Sure," replied Hawke. "Would you like me to find you some aspirin?"

"No thanks," she replied. "I have some in my bag. I just need to rest awhile."

Caitlin moved to the room on the lower floor of the cabin and shut the door. She lay down on the bed and tried to calm herself. She felt as though she was coming unglued and her memories were starting to betray her.

"Come on Caitlin," she said to herself. "Get it together. You have to get these details right. Just don't panic. You can do it."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Hawke sat at the window staring out. Dom noticed he was in deep thought.

"What's eating at ya kid?" he asked. "We'll work this all out, you know we will."

Hawke turned to him and sighed. "I'm not so sure," he replied. "While you were checking on Caitlin a little while ago and went back and started looking at those photos."

"So?" asked Dom. "A bunch of dead men, what does that prove?"

"The last one has a surveillance picture at the very bottom showing the man entering his hotel room," Hawke told him as he went over to the table and picked up the photo. Take a look."

Dom studied the photo. "My God String that sure does look like Caitlin."

"Exactly like Caitlin," he replied.

"It has to be a look alike," replied Dom. "That can't be our Cait."

"Dom, I think there's more going on here than we know. I mean, why would Marella betray Michael and tell Caitlin she was wanted?"

"Maybe she believes in her innocence and Michael wanted to do it but couldn't," he replied.

Hawke shrugged. "Maybe," he said. "But beyond this photo, something is off about Caitlin. Did you notice it? She seemed a little nervous but it's like she's more nervous being around us than being accused of murder."

"Oh, maybe you're reading too much into all of this," said Dom.

"Maybe," Hawke replied. "There is no way that Caitlin could commit cold blooded murder. But I feel like she's hiding something. I can't figure it out but I will."

"Why don't you just ask her?" asked Dom.

"Maybe I should," he replied.

"Maybe you should what?" asked Caitlin as she came back up to the middle floor of the cabin and joined the men.

"Have a seat Cait," Hawke said. "We need to talk."

Caitlin sat down at the small table and the two men joined her.

"What is it?" she asked, trying to hide her nervousness. "I'm feeling better. I can write down that information now."

"I get the feeling there's more going on here than you're telling us," Hawke said. "What do you know about these murders?"

"Do you think I'm a killer?" she asked him bluntly. "Why in the world would I hide something?"

"Of course I don't think that," he told her. "But I get the strange feeling you know more about what's going on and I don't know why you wouldn't tell us."

"What makes you think that?" she asked. "How can I possibly know anything about these murders?"

Hawke handed her the photo that he and Dom had been discussing. "Caitlin, this photo of the woman walking into the hotel room with the last victim looks just like you," replied Hawke.

Caitlin took the photo from him and looked at it carefully. "I don't know how to explain it but it's not me," she insisted.

Hawke shook his head. "Okay," he replied. "I believe you. How about you go ahead and write down that information for me. Don't worry, we'll figure this all out."

"I'd like to sit out back and work on the information," Caitlin replied softly as she got up and took the paper and pen with her.

"Take your time," he told her. "We need all the information you can come up with. Include anyone you were with or anyone who could have seen you during those times."

Caitlin went out and shut the door behind her. Dom studied Hawke's reaction and frowned. "You're right," he told him. "Something doesn't seem right. I can't put my finger on it but you're right. Still, she's no murderer."

"Like I said before, I don't believe she is either," replied Hawke. "But she's hiding something. Now I'm sure of it. I could see it in her eyes."

Later that evening, Caitlin gave Hawke several pages of information as to her whereabouts during the murders. He studied it for awhile and then the group sat around and tried to make small talk before bed.

"I need to run an errand," Dom told them. "I had promised an old friend if I was ever in this neck of the woods, I'd stop and see him. I figured I'd wait until it got dark."

"Don't you think that's a bit risky?" asked Hawke. "We don't want anyone knowing we're here."

"Not with this friend," said Dom with a. "He's a bit of a recluse. Like someone else I know. He won't tell anyone. I'll be back in a few hours."

After Dom left, Hawke went to his room and decided to lie down and go over all of the information Michael and Caitlin had given him. He hoped that somewhere in those photos and information, he'd find his answer.

An hour later, Caitlin knocked on his door. "Hawke, can I come in?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied before she slowly opened the door.

"Something wrong?" he asked, noticing her face seemed a bit pale.

"No, I just couldn't sleep after having that nap earlier," she replied.

Caitlin moved closer to him on the bed. Hawke couldn't help but stare at her. There was something different about her demeanor. He couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Hawke, can we talk?" she said softly as she crawled up beside him.

"Sure," he replied as he shifted in the bed in order to get into a comfortable position to talk.

"What if I did do the things they said I did?" she asked. "What would you think of me?"

"I'd think you needed some help," he told her bluntly. "You're not a killer Caitlin. But, I do think that you're keeping something from me."

"Why would I do that?" she asked as she moved even closer to him.

"I don't know," he replied. "You tell me."

Caitlin gave him a light smile and to his surprise, moved on top of him, straddling him.

"Caitlin, what are you doing?" he asked.

"Proving a point," she said as she grabbed one of his biceps.

"What the…" Hawke said as he felt a light prick on his arm.

"I'm so sorry Hawke," she told him. "I didn't want to do this."

Hawke quickly began to feel woozy. The room around him began to spin. She whispered something in his ear and then the last thing he heard before passing out was a loud gunshot.

Caitlin quickly pulled out the black tube of lipstick and put it on her lips before leaning over and kissing him firmly on the forehead.

"I'm so sorry Hawke," she told him. "I had no choice."


	5. Chapter 5

_Okay, I couldn't leave everyone hanging with that last chapter. This one will clear it all up a lot._

**Chapter 5**

The next morning, Caitlin found herself waiting to meet the man who had hired her back at the same diner. She took a deep breath as she saw him approach.

"Well, well," he told her. "I heard it all on audio. Now I want to see the photos."

Caitlin handed the man the photos she had taken of Hawke.

"A bit messy," he replied. "And Santini?"

"His car went over the side of the mountain last night," she told him. "I fixed it so he had no breaks. He won't be a problem."

"Smart thinking," he told her.

"Now for your end of the deal," she told him. "I want my money so I can get out of the country."

"Not so fast," he told her. "You've become quit invaluable to me. I have a better proposition for you."

Caitlin fought her urge to react. This was what she'd hoped for. What she'd worked so hard all these month for. "What's that?" she asked.

"I want you to come and work for me permanently," he replied. "I will give you everything you want or need, especially protection from the law. I have a friend in a high place that will assure you will never have to face penalties for your actions."

Caitlin sat up in her chair. "Sounds very intriguing," she told him. "But how can I trust you?"

"You can't," he said with a laugh. "I'll teach you never to trust anyone. It's your only means of survival."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Hawke slowly opened his eyes and studied the ceiling of the room around him.

"Where am I?" he asked while slowly sitting up.

"We call it hell," said a man who was sitting in a cot beside him.

Hawke stared at him. "Aren't you…." he started to say before the man called out across the room.

"Santini, your friend's awake," he said.

Hawke looked over and saw Dom and Marella coming towards him.

"What happened?" he asked. "Where are we?"

"The most secure place I could find that not even anyone in the Firm would find you," said Marella.

Hawke took a moment to take in what was going on. He looked at his clothes and noticed what looked like blood stains.

"Caitlin's pretending to be a hit woman," he said bluntly. "Was she supposed to have killed me?"

"Yeah," replied Dom. "I thought you were dead when Marella grabbed me and brought me back to the cabin. She really set a morbid scene."

"Why didn't she tell us?" asked Hawke.

"Michael doesn't even know," Marella replied. "I had to bring all of Caitlin's victims here. Hal over there has been here for over a month. He's ready to leave."

"Why?" Hawke. "Why do all of this?"

Marella sat down in a chair beside him. "Three months ago two high level members of the Firm were killed. During the second killing, the murderer died too. When I tried to find out information on him, it all suddenly disappeared. I realized that someone high up in the Firm ordered the hit but I needed to prove it. I needed help from someone on the outside."

"Caitlin," Hawke replied softly.

"Yeah," said Marella. "It wasn't until she completed her sixth so called killing that we found out who the insider was as well as who on the outside he was working with."

"Who?' asked Dom.

"Horn," she said bluntly. "I quickly realized how Horn's been able to stay one step ahead of us all this time. He has someone on the inside helping him. That's why I felt I had to keep Michael and the two of you out of this for as long as possible. I don't know where the connection is or how they are monitoring things."

"So Horn wanted me dead now?" asked Hawke.

"We think he wanted Caitlin to prove she could be loyal to him," said Marella. "I believe he's going to pull her into his organization. Hopefully this will lead us to proof that we can use against our mole."

"I don't like this," said Hawke. "What if he finds out this is all a setup? He'll kill her."

Marella sighed. "She's worked really hard to convince him. If he buys your death then she is sure to make it inside. But yeah, it's still pretty dangerous."

"If he wants her, he'll want Airwolf," said Hawke. "Damn it Marella. I can't let her do this alone."

"Hawke, sending you out of here would be too risky," said Marella. "If he finds out you're alive, she'll be dead for sure."

"Not if I have a disguise," he insisted. "I can't just sit around here and do nothing. I want to bring Horn and this Firm insider down too."

Marella sighed. "I know," she said. "I figured you'd never be able to stay out of it. So, I have a plan."

Hawke grinned. "Somehow I knew you did," he told her.


	6. Chapter 6

_Sorry for the delay. Hope you like the new twist. _

**Chapter 6**

"Our plan involves Airwolf," Marella told Hawke. "When Caitlin was forced to well, kill you, Horn made her wear a wire. He wanted to hear the whole thing and have her photograph the scene. I was able to tap into the frequency. She still has it on."

"I like it," replied Dom. "We use his own equipment against him."

"It was the only way," said Marella. "He won't be suspicious of his own wire. It was too risky to try any of ours. But, we'll need Airwolf to monitor it."

"Let's go," replied Hawke.

"We need to make sure you have a good disguise," said Marella. "You two can't go anywhere near the hangar. He'll have someone watching for sure."

"We won't," said Hawke. "We'll take you with us but you'll have to wear a blindfold."

"That's no problem," Marella replied. "We need to get going quickly though. Caitlin should be at Horn's compound by now."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Within the hour, the three of them found themselves waiting in the lair and listening to Caitlin's conversations. Most were just with some of Horn's people as they showed her around the compound and gave her a room.

"I'm a little nervous about all of this," she thought to herself. She hoped that Marella was listening in but she also knew that Horn could be monitoring as well. She was careful not to think out loud.

Finally, someone came and took her to meet with Horn.

"Well, I see you made it safely," he told her. "Please, have a seat. We have some business to discuss."

Caitlin sat down across from his long marble desk.

"Would you like a drink?" he asked as one of his men poured him a glass of wine.

"No thank you," she replied.

"Okay then," he said. "Let's get down to business. I was very impressed with your skills but to be honest, I have other men who can do the job you did."

"So why did you ask me to come and work for you?" she asked, knowing the answer.

"Simple," he replied with a smirk. "With Hawke now out of the way, you can bring me what I want.

"Airwolf," she replied bluntly. "I figured that's what you wanted. What's in it for me if I give it to you? Maybe I want to keep her for myself."

"You can't possibly think that the Firm will fund you if you keep her. Actually, my insider knows that they won't," he said. "And I know you don't have the money to keep her going yourself. It only makes sense that I have her. You can keep flying her, of course."

"Of course," she replied softly. "What is it you want with a machine like that?"

Horn sighed. "Power," he replied. "I will also have the peace of mind knowing that I will be untouchable with a weapon of that caliber."

Horn could see that Caitlin was still a bit leery of his proposal. "Of course you'll be highly compensated," he assured her.

"You can have her," Caitlin said. "But now that Hawke and Dom are gone, I don't want anything else to do with Airwolf."

"Then I'll need you to teach my pilots to fly her," he replied. "After that, what you do is your business."

"Pay me right and it's a deal," she told him.

"Believe me, I will. I want you to leave as soon as possible," he said. "You have forty eight hours to bring me Airwolf."

"Why the time limit?" she asked.

Horn motioned for two of his men. They each grabbed Caitlin by an arm and held her down in the chair tightly as a woman came towards her with a needle.

"What are you doing?" she asked while struggling to break free of the hold they had on her.

"Oh, this is just my insurance plan," he replied. "Sarah just injected with a special virus we developed. You won't feel the effects of it for forty eight hours. If you come back with Airwolf before then, we'll give you the antidote and you'll never suffer the effects. But, if you cross me, it will be just a matter of time before you die."

Caitlin tried to remain calm. "I see you're really trusting," she said sarcastically. "You'll get Airwolf. But, if you don't give me the antidote when I return, no one will be able to fly her."

"It's a deal," he replied. "We both have a stake in your well being and in my getting Airwolf. My men will escort you to a helicopter that will take you to Santini Air."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Hawke was seething after hearing the conversation between Caitlin and Horn. "That bastard!" he yelled. "She'd better be okay. I could kill him for doing that to her."

Marella sighed. "Looks like our plan just got a little more complicated. "Now we'll have to let her bring Airwolf to him."

"And this time I'll be hiding aboard," Hawke replied. "I'm not letting her back in there alone."

"I agree," said Marella. "She'll need the backup. There's no guarantee that he'll give her to antidote at this point. There's no telling what he'll do once he gets his hands on Airwolf and we still need to catch our mole."


	7. Chapter 7

_FYI: I made up the Firm character to fit the needs of my story. I hope to have at least one more chapter tonight if time permits with my busy schedule. :o)_

**Chapter 7**

Caitlin approached the lair cautiously. She had been very careful to make sure she wasn't followed by Horn's men. She was pretty sure he wouldn't bother to follow her since he knew she had no choice but to return. Still, she couldn't' help but to be weary. They had dropped her off at Santini Air and told her that his men would meet her back there when she got Airwolf. She was sure to drop the bug she was wearing at the hangar before leaving. "It's way too risky to leave it on," she thought.

Her heart began to beat faster the closer she got to the entrance. She felt it was highly possible that Marella was there with Hawke. He wouldn't let her go it alone, she knew that. She worried about the fact that she had lied to him and Dom and kept her mission a secret for so long. When she got to the entrance, she walked in slowly. They had heard her coming and all three were standing there waiting for her.

"Caitlin!" Hawke yelled as he came towards her and grabbed her up into his arms. Dom joined him as they both hugged her tightly. "Are you okay?" he asked, showing his concern.

"I'll be fine," she assured him. "You're not mad?"

Hawke gave her a slight grin. "No," he replied. "It took a hell of a lot of guts to do what you've done. I just wish you wouldn't have had to do it on your own."

"It was too risky for anyone else to know," she replied. "Even Michael's been in the dark."

"I think we may have no choice now but to let him in on it," said Marella as she approached Caitlin with a needle.

"What are you doing?" asked Caitlin.

"I need a blood sample," she replied. "Just in case Horn backs out on his promise of an antidote, we need to at least try and figure out what he's given you."

"Oh," replied Caitlin. "You heard."

"If he doesn't give her the antidote," Hawke replied. "There'll be hell to pay. He'll regret ever laying hands on her."

Caitlin smiled at him. "Thanks," she replied. "It's nice having you back me up again."

"That's exactly what I'll be doing. I'm going with you back to the compound," he told her. "This time it's my turn to hide out in Airwolf."

"But Hawke if you're found, we'll never be able to prove that he's tied to an insider at the Firm," she said.

"Who is it?" Hawke asked. "I think at this point we have the right to know."

Caitlin looked at Marella before answering. Marella spoke up. "Elisa," she replied.

"Hey, isn't she one of Archangel's aides?" asked Dom.

"Yes," replied Marella. "That's why this is so sensitive and I've kept him out of it."

"You don't want Michael to look bad because he was the one that hired her?" quipped Hawke.

"You're right," replied Marella. "It's not going to be good for Michael. But, eventually everyone will have to know. I just want proof before word gets out and before she has time to cover her tracks. Two of the Firm's top men were killed because of her. My guess is they figured out what she was up to so Horn hired someone to kill them."

"I think she's more than just a working partner to Horn," said Caitlin. "I was hoping for more time in his compound to find out. I had no idea he would send me off that quick."

"I don't like all of this at all," claimed Hawke. "I wish you'd both have come to me when this first started."

"Hawke, it's something I wanted to do," said Caitlin. "I needed to prove I could be a valuable member of this team."

"Caitlin, you don't have to prove anything to me," Hawke told her.

"I had to prove it to myself," she replied. "It was all going pretty well until he blindsided me with that virus. I should have known he'd pull something like that."

"It definitely gives him the upper hand," said Dom.

"Not all of the cards are stacked in his favor," replied Hawke. "He thinks we're dead. That gives us the opportunity to get inside before he realizes the truth."

"Let's work out the details of our plan," said Marella. "After all of the work we've done so far, I don't want Horn to slip through our fingers this time around. Eventually his luck has to run out."

Caitlin sighed. "I just hope my luck doesn't run out in the meantime," she said softly.

"We'll make sure he gives you that antidote," Hawke assured her as he gently grabbed her arm.

"Thanks," she replied trying to give him a smile. "It's a bit scary having ticking time bomb inside of me."

"I know," he replied softly, trying hard to hide his concern.

"I'll do everything on my end to find out what he injected you with," promised Marella. "I can't help but get a sinking feeling that he'll try to hold out on the antidote."

"I hope your wrong," Hawke told her. "I'll find the antidote and give it to her myself if I have to. He may have gotten away from us before but he still hasn't won. I'll be damned if he wins now."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The crew prepared Airwolf for the trip to Horn's compound. As Hawke and Caitlin got ready to leave Marella shared some last minute reminders.

"It's been twelve hours since Caitlin was injected," she told them. "If you aren't out of there by the time it reaches thirty six hours, we're coming in. I plan to meet with Michael this afternoon. We have a safety code between us that will let him know to meet me in a location that only the two of us know about. He won't tell anyone. I should be able to fill him in on what's going on. He won't be happy about it but I need his help at this point. I've got to find a way to get Caitlin's blood tested without anyone knowing it. Michael has a couple of confidants in the lab that should be able to help."

"Thanks Marella," said Hawke. "I'll do what I can on my end. Hopefully we'll have the antidote and we won't need the Firm's lab."

Dom gave Caitlin a hug and kissed her on the forehead. "Take care," he told her.

Caitlin smiled at him. "Thanks Dom," she replied.

Hawke closed the aircraft doors and climbed in the back. "Feels weird back here," he teased. "Ready?"

Caitlin tried to smile. "Yeah, I guess I'm ready as I'll ever be," she replied. "I'm starting to regret ever getting involved in all of this though."

"You did the right thing," he assured her.

"Even what I did to you?" she was almost afraid to ask.

"That's actually something I'd like to discuss another time," he replied.

Caitlin felt her pulse quicken. "Are you mad at me?" she asked softly.

"No, I'm not mad," he replied. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing like that."

"Okay," she replied. "I just needed to make sure."

"I know," he replied in a near whisper.

Dom and Marella watched as Caitlin slowly lifted Airwolf out of the lair.

"I'm worried about them," Dom admitted.

"You should be," Marella replied bluntly. "There's no telling what Horn has planned next. He's as unpredictable as he is dangerous."

Dom shook his head. "Boy, you sure know how to soften the blow," he said sarcastically.

"I'm just being honest," she replied. "Come on, let's get going. We need to get that blood analyzed. It may be Caitlin's only chance."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

As they got closer to Santini Air where Caitlin was meeting with Horn's men, Hawke climbed into the missile compartment and hid. One of Horn's men climbed inside Airwolf and directed her to the compound location. When they reached their destination, he quickly pulled her out and escorted her to his boss.

"Well, well," said Horn. "I knew you wouldn't let me down."

"I didn't really have much choice did I?" she asked.

"I realize that," he replied. "But I figured you might run to the Firm for help with your situation."

"Maybe I would have if I wasn't wanted for murder," she replied bluntly. "I'm no longer associated with them."

"Too bad," a voice a woman replied.

Caitlin turned to see Elisa coming into the room.

"You look familiar," Caitlin told her.

"I work for Archangel," she replied. "You've seen me around."

"And Horn?" asked Caitlin.

"I don't work for him," she replied with a smile as she went over to Horn and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm in love with him."

"What about the Firm?" asked Caitlin. "Aren't you playing a pretty dangerous game?"

"Honey, the game I'm playing has made me a very rich woman," she told her. "I have to admit, I am surprised that you turned on them all though."

"I was tired of being second string," she lied.

"I can see that," replied Elisa. "I always did think Hawke took you for granted. You are much more talented than he gave you credit for."

"When do I get my antidote?" Caitlin asked Horn.

Horn motioned to two of his men. "Take her to the infirmary," he instructed them. "Give her the second injection to speed up the process. If she managed to contact anyone for help, she'll be dead long before they come for her."

"No!" yelled Caitlin. "I kept my end of the bargain. I killed Hawke for you and I gave you Airwolf."

Horn laughed. "I guess you made the wrong choices then," he told her. "Hawke is gone and soon you'll join him."

"What about teaching your pilots how to fly Airwolf?" Caitlin asked.

"We can manage on our own," he replied. "And you will learn that you can't trust anyone. I know it's a hard lesson and it will be your last but take comfort in knowing that you aren't the only one that has been used."

Horn looked at Elisa. "Sorry my dear, but I don't need your services any longer either," he said. "Take her down there as well. Give her the same virus."

Caitlin saw the look of horror on Elisa's face. "I guess you get what you give," she said sarcastically as the men dragged them out of Horn's office.

"Please tell me that someone is helping you," Elisa begged. "You can't let him do this to us."

"I wish I could," Caitlin replied, knowing she'd never give up her knowledge about Hawke but wondering if maybe it was all a trick. "If Horn's doing this to find out if I'm telling the truth, he might as well give it up. Sadly, I'm on my own.

"No you're not," Hawke said to himself as he hid around the corner, listening to the exchange. "I just need to get to that antidote. I won't let you down Cait."

_Last chapter for tonight. I promise to finish it up in the next few days. It won't be a week like before._


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Hawke followed the men as they took Caitlin and Elisa to the infirmary. As one of the men prepared to inject her with another dose of the virus, he intervened. "Put it down or put it in your arm," he told the man.

Caitlin stared at him a moment trying to hide her relief. She had been stoic through the whole ordeal but in her current health state, it was all wearing at her.

The man put it down and Hawke who kept his gun pointed at them forced them to sit in the corner of the room. "Now, who's going to tell me where the antidote is?" he asked. "Someone is going to tell me or each and every one of you will be injected with this stuff."

Hawke could tell the men were nervous. All four of them kept very quiet.

"No answer huh?" he asked. "Okay Elisa, pick up the needle and inject the one on the end. If you don't, you can join them."

Elisa stared at him and then picked up the syringe and moved towards the man.

"He keeps it in his office!" one of the men blurted out. "He's paranoid that someone will inject him so he keeps the antidote nearby."

Hawke smiled. "That's what I thought," he replied. "Now, were do you keep your tranquilizers. I know you have some."

One of the men got up and showed Caitlin where they could find them.

"Better this than the virus, don't you think fellas," she told them as she helped Elisa inject each of them.

"Your turn Elisa," said Hawke as the men were drifting off into unconsciousness. "Don't think for a minute that you are free in clear in all of this."

Elisa frowned but sat still as Caitlin injected her. "We'll be back for you later," he told her.

After they were sure that the men and Elisa would not be an interference Hawke grabbed Caitlin and pulled her to the other end of the room and contacted Dom on the transmitter he had brought with them.

"Dom," he called. "Did Marella come through with Michael's help?"

"Yeah," he replied. "We are all waiting on standby."

"Good," said Hawke. "Have his men surround Airwolf at 1730 hours. We're going to have to go and confront Horn. He wanted to give Caitlin an additional dose of the virus instead of the antidote. He turned on Elisa as well. We have her and four of his men contained in the infirmary for now."

"Got it," replied Dom. "Be careful. We'll have Airwolf guarded and ready for you to board. No way was Michael going to let Horn get away with the Lady."

Hawke once again took Caitlin by the hand and they headed out and back to Horn's office. He decided it might be a good idea to bring a syringe of the virus with them. As they got closer, Caitlin became a little wobbly on her feet. Hawke grabbed her around the waste to steady her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Caitlin felt slightly out of breath. "Yeah," she replied in a soft whisper. "I just felt a little light headed."

"Don't worry," he assured her. "We'll be out of here as soon as we have our hands on that antidote. You're going to be okay."

Caitlin tried to smile. "I know," she replied. "Let's go."

Hawke watched as Horn's guard went inside of his office. "There's no better time than the present," he told her as they quickly opened the door and stormed into the room.

"What the hell!" yelled Horn as Hawke approached him with his gun drawn.

"Tell your man to put down his weapon," Hawke ordered.

Horn nodded to his guard who did as requested. Caitlin walked over to him and picked up the gun.

"Well well," said Horn. "I should have known that she would never kill you. It all seemed to go down too easily."

"I want the antidote," Hawke ordered.

"What makes you think I have it," replied Horn. "I'm not really sure where it is at the moment."

Hawke walked closer to him. "Then I think I'll just go ahead and inject you with the virus," he told them. "I think that just might jar your memory."

Horn scowled at him. "You'll never get it," he told him. "Caitlin's death is sealed. Let's just say it's my little payback for what happened the last time we met."

Hawke moved even closer to Horn and put the gun to his head. "I'm in no mood for this," he told him. "Where is it?"

Horn just smiled, not noticing Hawke's other hand. With one swift move, Hawke jabbed the needle into Horn's arm, causing him to flinch and pull back away from him.

"No!" he yelled.

"Tell me where it is or you'll sit right here and die," said Hawke.

"My people will get here first," he replied. "When they come and check on me, you'll be out numbered. I'll get the antidote but Caitlin will never get it."

Hawke had had enough. His blood was boiling at Horn's contempt and avoidance.

Sensing that she needed to do something, Caitlin moved behind Horn's desk and opened the top drawer.

"No," said Horn as he started to move towards her. Hawke grabbed him by the arm and pulled him down to the floor.

"This is it," she told Hawke. "This has to be…"

Hawke watched helplessly as Caitlin fell to the floor. "Caitlin!" he yelled, kicking Horn in the groin and moving to help her.

Within moments he heard the gunfire in the courtyard of the compound. He knew Michael had come through. He grabbed the antidote and stuck it in his pocket before picking up Caitlin and heading out to rendezvous with Dom and Airwolf.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

When they got outside Hawke could see that all hell had broken loose. Michael and Marella rushed towards him.

"Get in there and get Horn," he told them. "I injected him. He probably has more antidotes somewhere and he'll be going for it. Elisa is in the infirmary."

"We're on it," said Michael and he and Marella headed inside. Dom ran up to Hawke and helped him put Caitlin inside of Airwolf.

"I got the antidote," he replied. "Or at least what says it's the antidote. I pray it works. We need to give it to her. She's fading pretty fast."

"String are you sure you want to take a chance?" asked Dom.

"We can't afford not to," Hawke replied as they climbed inside Airwolf and shut the door.

Hawke pulled out the vile and Dom reached in the back for the medical supply case they had stored back there.

"How much do you give her?" he asked.

"Damn it, I don't know," replied Hawke. "Did Marella have a communicator on her?"

"Yeah," said Dom as he quickly contacted her.

"We have Horn," Marella told them promptly. "Apparently Hawke took the main vile and the rest is stored in a nearby bank valt. He's pretty freaked out."

"Marella, do you have any idea how much we should give Caitlin?" asked Dom.

"No, I don't," she replied. "I think you should hold off. Take her to the Firm's clinic. We'll have our specialist on standby."

Hawke tried to remain calm. "Are you sure you have everything under control with Horn?" he asked.

"We're good," replied Michael. "Just go and take care of Caitlin."

Within seconds, Hawke had Airwolf off of the ground. He and Dom were both very quiet as they made their way to the clinic. Caitlin had become very pale and was very still.

"She's going to be glad to know that we finally got Horn," said Dom, trying to lighten the mood. "She did a good job. I'm proud of her."

"Me too," replied Hawke. "Now Elisa will pay for what she's done as well."

"She's going to be okay String," Dom told him. "She has to."

"Yeah," he replied softly as he glanced back over at her unconscious form.

When they got to the clinic, several doctors and orderlies came running out with a gurney. They quickly placed Caitlin on it and took the antidote from Hawke.

"What now?" asked Hawke. "Are you going to give her the antidote?"

"We need to analyze it and make sure we give her the proper dose," he replied. "Too much of it might kill her."

Hawke and Dom waited for what seemed like hours for news on Caitlin's condition. While they were waiting, Marella and Michael came into the clinic with Horn.

"Why the hell is he here?" asked Hawke.

"Hawke, we have to give him the antidote," replied Michael. "After that he'll stand trial for everything he's done."

"Lock him up tight Michael," said Dom. "I don't want to think about what will happen if he gets away again."

"Oh, believe me, we've taken care of that," said Marella. "He'll have to cut his leg off to get this monitoring ankle bracelet off. Besides that we have our top guards assigned to him."

Hawke watched as they wheeled him to one of the back rooms. Horn just looked at him and smiled.

"I get a sinking feeling that we haven't seen the last of him," said Hawke.

"I feel the same way," replied Dom. "Let's just hope that the Firm can hold onto him."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

The next morning, Hawke and Dom found themselves still sitting in the waiting room. They were both tired and stiff from falling asleep in the uncomfortable chairs they had been sitting in.

"Good morning," said Michael as he approached them. "I can't believe you two stayed here all night. Although, I guess it shouldn't surprise me."

Hawke was in no mood for small talk. "How's Caitlin?" he asked impatiently. "Is she going to be okay?"

Michael smiled. "She's just fine," he replied. "The Firm is singing her praises this morning as well. They are so impressed with her work that they want to offer her some other special assignments."

Hawke shook his head and sighed. "Why is it that I not thrilled about that?" he asked. "I mean, I'm proud of her and all but I would rather she work with us."

Michael laughed. "That was her answer too," he told him.

"She's awake?" asked Dom.

"Yes," replied Michael. "We just finished our debriefing and she's officially done with this mission. Horn and Elisa are both going to be spending the rest of their lives in prison."

"That's good to know," replied Dom.

"Can we see her now?" asked Hawke.

"Sure, she's in the last room down at the end of the hall," replied Michael. "Marella's in there with her but she'll be heading out soon."

"You know, I can't believe you really thought that Caitlin was a hired killer," Hawke told him. "Weren't you even a little suspicious about it?"

"Of course," replied Michael. "I never really believed it but I knew something was going on with her. I have to say I'm really impressed with what she and Marella were able to pull off. Especially, how I hear she got to you."

Hawke tried to hide his embarrassment. "I knew she wasn't a killer," he replied. "I just wasn't expecting her to fake my murder."

"It's okay kid," teased Dom. "You don't need to be embarrassed."

"I'm not," Hawke protested.

Dom and Michael laughed. "Sure, sure kid," he replied while continuing to chuckle.

"Let's go and see her," Hawke said as he grabbed Dom's arm and pulled him away from Michael. There's no need to discuss this any further."

Hawke breathed a sigh of relief as he and Dom opened the door to Caitlin's room. His "family" was once again safe and all together.

_This is basically "__**The End**__" of the story. But, I will be writing an addendum/extra chapter for the Hawke/Cait fans. I should have that up tomorrow night. _


	11. Addendum for HawkeCait Fans

**Addendum (Chapter 11) For Hawke and Caitlin fans only. :o)**

By the end of the week, Caitlin was released from the hospital and everything in her life seemed to fall back into place. She was surprised that Hawke and Dom didn't talk much about what happened or how she managed to pull off all of the fake deaths. They both read the report she and Marella had given to Michael and they pretty much left the subject alone.

Friday afternoon, after she had been back to work at Santini Air for two days, Caitlin couldn't help but notice that Hawke was a bit fidgety.

"Something wrong?" she asked him.

"Huh?" he replied. "Oh no, I just have a lot on my mind."

"Oh," she replied as she picked up around the hangar and decided to leave him to his thoughts.

To her surprise, he continued the conversation. "Caitlin do you have any plans tonight?" he asked.

"Not really," she replied. "I figured I'd just chill out with a good book and maybe a nice hot bath."

Hawke smiled. "Would you consider changing your plans and coming up to the cabin?" he asked. "I'm trying out this new wine and I'd love for you to join me. I'll even make your favorite pasta."

Caitlin stared at him. "What's the catch?" she asked teasingly.

"Nothing," he replied. "We just haven't had a lot of time to talk since all this Horn business."

"Oh," she replied. "Okay, I'll come. But I'm not sure what else there is to discuss."

Hawke smiled. "There is," he said sharply.

Caitlin just shrugged her shoulders and continued cleaning up the daily mess they had made in the hangar.

"You guys done for the day?" Dom asked as he got ready to leave. "I'm heading out for dinner with an old pal. I'll see you both on Monday."

"Have a good weekend Dom," said Caitlin. "I think we are about done."

Hawke drove Caitlin by her apartment after work to pick up a few things and they flew up to the cabin. He made dinner and they sat outside on the porch sipping the new wine he had wanted to try.

"This is really good," Caitlin told him.

"Michael suggested it," he replied. "I don't always trust his judgment but he was right about this one."

Caitlin smiled. "Michael does come through a lot you know," she replied.

Hawke sighed. "Yeah, I guess he does," he replied. "I am surprised that you and Marella were able to keep your mission from him for so long though."

"It wasn't easy," she replied. "I was really nerve wracking. I never liked lying to you and Dom either."

They both sat really quiet looking out at the stars for several minutes before Caitlin spoke back up. "String, I'm really sorry about how things went when I had to fake killing you," she told him. "The look on your face when I stuck you with that needle…well, it bothered me. I guess I've been wondering what it was that you were thinking when it happened."

Hawke sighed deeply and took her by the hand. "Come on," he said. "Let's go for a walk."

Hawke grabbed a blanket from one of the chairs on the porch and they headed down to the lake. When they got to the edge of the water, he put the blanket down and they sat and watched as the wind made ripples on the water.

"I like coming down here to think," he told her. "I've been thinking a lot about what happened that day. I've come to quite a few realizations. I realized some things about myself. About you too."

"Oh?" she asked surprisingly. "What's that?"

Hawke turned and looked at her. "There was no one else who could have pulled that off Cait," he told her.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You know I don't trust too many people," he replied. "I don't let just anyone get that close. I let my guard down. It's easy for me to do that around you."

"And I betrayed you," she said turning away from him.

Hawke grabbed her shoulders and turn her back towards him. "No," he replied. "You did what you had to do. I understand that. I don't see it as betrayal. I really don't."

Caitlin could barely look him in the eyes. "Still, I wish I wouldn't have had to do that," she replied. "I knew you trusted me Hawke. It was how I was able to pull that all off in the first place."

Hawke put his hand on her chin and forced her to look at him. "Caitlin, I was so shocked when you basically jumped on top of me," he replied. "It took me by surprise. I'd never seen you that way before."

"What way?" she asked, slightly blushing.

"Okay," he replied. "I know you're a woman and I've always thought you were beautiful but in that instant when you were sitting there on top of me. I don't know. I guess I wanted to grab you and kiss you."

"Wow," she replied with a laugh. "That would have really ruined all the plans."

"Why is that?" he asked.

"Because I would have definitely kissed you back," she replied. "No way could I have pulled off your fake murder after that."

Hawke chuckled. "Well that's good to know," he replied.

To his surprise, Caitlin jumped up and headed back up to the cabin. "Race you to the porch!" she yelled as she took off up the path.

Hawke jumped up and grabbed the blanket before following her. He nearly caught up to her before she leaped up onto the porch.

"Why'd you leave?" he asked her.

Caitlin sat down in one of the chairs and pulled her legs up. "I'm sorry," she said. "I guess I'm still feeling a little guilty about it all."

Hawke sighed. "Caitlin, you have nothing to feel guilty about," he assured her. "I think there's more going on than that. Be honest with me. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied as she got up and headed to the cabin door. "I'm fine. Let's go in and have that desert Dom sent."

Hawke followed her inside and shut the door behind them. He caught up to her and grabbed her arm before she made it to the kitchen. "I kind of had something else in mind," he told her as he pulled her into a hug.

Caitlin felt his heart beat fast and she could tell that her pulse was racing. He pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes. "There is still no one else that I trust more than you Caitlin," he told her.

"There's Dom," she teased.

"You know what I mean," he replied softly as he leaned in and kissed her.

At first she was so shocked that she felt herself freeze up. But soon, his soft, moist lips got to her and she felt herself respond to his touch.

"Let me know if I'm moving too fast," he told her as they moved to the sofa.

"I think two years is slow enough," she said with a laugh.

Hawke smiled and pulled her into another kiss. She wrapped her arms around him tightly as he moved down her neck, planting kisses along the way.

"Damn," she replied with a giggle. "If I'd known I'd get this reaction, I would have pretended to kill you long before now."

"I think I can do even better," he replied as he took her hand and escorted her up to the loft.

**Now..it's the END**


End file.
